College Finance Conference, 3 June 2014 Workshop on Capital funding and projects Where we’ve come from Where we’re going to Some tips Julian Gravatt, Assistant.

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Presentation on theme: "College Finance Conference, 3 June 2014 Workshop on Capital funding and projects Where we’ve come from Where we’re going to Some tips Julian Gravatt, Assistant."— Presentation transcript:

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College Finance Conference, 3 June 2014 Workshop on Capital funding and projects Where we’ve come from Where we’re going to Some tips Julian Gravatt, Assistant Chief Executive, AoC Julian_Gravatt@aoc.co.uk

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College capital projects Some permanent characteristics A College success over the last 20 years College ownership and direction of projects Mixed funding model (unlike schools) Grant + Cash + Asset sales + Loans New buildings customised for each College Lots of extensions and second buildings Capital expenditure also used for IT and equipment

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Building Colleges for the Future Government funded comprehensive College re-development Colleges used to bid for funds from LSC One by one bid assessment Three tests: education, property, value for money % grant calculated on basis of assessment of College finances In 2009, LSC unable to fund projects it had approved Now a matter of history but some colleges still not recovered A number of colleges have good buildings in place Capital funding up to 2009

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Capital funding 2010 to 2015 Short-term funding Coalition allocated money for Colleges in May 2010 budget An extra £750 mil allocated to FE Colleges 2010 to 2015 Sixth form college funding handled separately by EFA Lots of funds (ERG 1,2 and 3, CCIF, SICF, CCF etc) Funding assumption has been 33% grants Additional funding based on financial health assessment Bids assessed in groups using a scoring system Research on college capital projects carried out in 2012 College capital investment strategy (November 2012)

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Capital reference group College involvement in the details Advisory Group of Principals, FDs, SFA, BIS and EFA Group set up in 2009 at request of then Secretary of State AoC provides the secretariat. Minutes on AoC website Advice to officials on practicalities Final decisions on policy & bids made by Minister & SFA CEO Some things are non-negotiable, for example -Annual budgets & spending -Use of bids -Requirement to fit policy priorities

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Outcomes Those lessons It pays to write a good bid. It pays to be quick and to have a project on the shelf. Bids always need to have something new. Possibly a mismatch between different objectives. Largest % grants go to those with weakest finances Lead times cannot be compressed easily. Bidding systems + annual budgets = underspends. Austerity means responsibility sits with governing bodies. Colleges need to work out their own priorities.

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Some dates The Good News £330 mil allocated for FE/Skills Capital in 2015-16 Vince Cable promised a second year (2016-17) in November The Not-so-good news A completely new system for spending the money Eligibility widened from colleges to “skills” 11 months on, not a lot of information about the process Risk that budget could be pulled following election

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LEP process unclear What will SFA role be in future Capital Projects? Who will advise LEPs on capital/estate issues? How will bids be assessed? How will match funding requirements be handled? Will LEPs divert money to other things? How will colleges address serious maintenance issues? How will need for 16-19 capital projects be addressed? Unanswered questions

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DFE capital funding A game of two halves New Coalition government cancelled the BSF programme DFE’s capital budget cut by 50% in 2010 spending review Priority was given to new free schools Schools places crisis became pressing. Money found in 2012 DFE now works with Councils to plan places Major school capital budget (£3bil/year from 2015 to 2020) Current priority is new primary / secondary places. Argument over free schools –vs-basic need in May 2014 Money can be used for new 16-19 schools, UTCs etc £60 mil/year for Sixth form colleges. £30 mil for growth

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Capital projects Colleges need to make their own decisions on projects Investment can increase income, rationalise space, reduce costs & meet employer needs. Why else do a project? Government has been a good funder in the past but is now unreliable and runs one-year budgets LEPs now hold the ring and may be allies in making projects happen Worth having bid-ready projects and a property strategy